Adjustable roll for perforated music-sheets.



UNITE TATES THOMAS C. BRINKLEY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFTO CHARLES D. LYFORD, OF WATERTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS, AND ALFRED IV. NUNN,OF CAMBRIDGEPORT, MASSACHUSETTS, TRUSTEES.

ADJUSTABLE ROLL FOR PERFORATED MUSIC-SHEETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,458, dated December24, 1901.

Application filed April 13, 1900.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS C. BRINKLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Adjustable Rolls forPerforated Music-Sheets, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, reference being had to the accompanying 1o drawings.

The invention relates to the rolls upon which are wound the perforatedmusic-sheets used in instruments of the pianola or aeolian class. Theserolls have several functions.

They preserve the music-sheet from injury and hold it so that it may beconveniently drawn through the instrument by the mechanism provided forthat purpose. Each of these rolls is also intended to act to guide themusic-sheet as it is unrolled, whereby to deliver said sheet so that itsperforations shall pass exactly over the openings in the trackervboard.This last function, however, is frequently performed inaccurately andinefficiently, to the great annoyance of both the performer and thehearers. The result is that the tones produced lack purity and arereduced in volume, becoming more or less muffled, the attack is bad, andbrilliancy of execution is impossible.

The object of the invention is to provide a roll which will permit thelateral adjustment of the music -sheet with reference to thetracker-board in the instrument either before or during the unwinding ofthe sheet, to the end that said sheet shall be so guided that theperforations therein shall properly register with the openings in saidtrackerboard.

The invention consists in the means I-employ to accomplish this end.More particularly it resides in the construction and combinations ofparts, as definitely set forth hereinafter in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the tubular roll towhich one end of the music-sheet is connected and upon which it is to bewound. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the spindle, which fits withinsaid 50. roll and is adapted to be operatively mounted Serial No.12,696. (No model.)

in the instrument in the usual manner. Fig.

3 is a longitudinal section of the roll when the two parts thereof shownin the two preceding figures are properly assembled. Fig.

4 is a transverse sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the parts by letters, A represents a spindle, which ispreferably of cylindrical form and may be made of wood. It is providedwitha longitudinal groove a Projecting axially from one end is a rigidpin at, having lateral projecting wings a, which winged pin is adaptedto engage in the end of the driven shaft of the instrument.

a represents a cylindrical pin which is fixed axially in the other endof the spindle.

The cylindrical pin a and winged pin a are the means with which'each ofthe music-rolls now commonly used is provided, whereby it may berotatively mounted in the pianola or aeolian but any other suitablemeans may be employed.

B represents a tubular roll, which is preferabl y made of metal and ofcylindrical form. This roll is adapted to fit upon the spindle, and ithas an inwardly-projecting longitudinal tongue I), which enters thegroove a wherefore the revolution of one of these parts is necessarilyaccompanied by the revolution of the other.

The roll Bis capable of longitudinal movement upon the spindle, andsuitable means are provided for holding it in any position upon saidspindle to which it may be moved. These means, as shown, consist of aspring or 85 springs O, secured in a deepened part of said groove 0,which springs are adapted to press against the tongue b of the roll,thereby creating sufficient friction to withstand any normalforce,suchasisexerted by theinstrumentitself 0 to move it out of saidposition. The tubular roll is provided at itsends with the two annularflanges, which serve to guide the music-sheet when it is being woundupon the roll. The spindle is provided on the end in which the 5cylindrical pin a is inserted with an external annular shoulder orflange a against which the end of the tube B will abut when the roll isbeing inserted into the instrument. In inserting this compound rolli.6., the spindle I00 I and roll Binto the instrument the operator takeshold of the roll B and then inserts the pin a into a socket in theinstrument designed to receive it and then pushes the roll endwiseagainst a spring in the instrument, whereupon the winged pin may moveinto engagement with the driven shaft of the instrument. The expansionof the spring in the instrument acting upon the pin a maintains thislast-named engagement. If it were not for the shoulder or flange a, itwould not be possible to introduce the roll into the instrument in thissimple and convenient manner, because one could not by grasping the rollapply enough endwise pressure to the spindle to sufficiently compressthe spring in the instrument, because the roll would slide on thespindle. After the roll is inserted in the instrument the music-sheet isproperly attached to the mechanism provided for unwinding it. Theoperator may move the roll upon the spindle A as much as may be thoughtnecessary to cause the perforations in the sheet to exactly registerwith the openings in the tracker-board, and at any time during theunwinding of the sheet if the perforations do not properly register withthe said openings the roll B may be moved endwise slightly, so as tocause the proper registration. As before stated, it is preferable toform the spindle of cylindrical form and to provide it with alongitudinal groove and to form the roll witha longitudinal cylindricalbore having an inwardly-projecting tongue which projectsinto saidgroove; but any other form for the spindle and for the core of the rollmay be adopted which will permit their relative longitudinal movement,but will compel their simultaneous rotation.

One spindle A may be associated with each instrument and may be adaptedto be used with any of many rolls B constructed to fit it, substantiallyas described. In that event each roll'of music as sold need to consistof only the roll 13 and the music-sheet. The rollB will cost less thando the rolls now used, because the rolls now used must be provided withthe pin a and winged pin a. The boxes in which the music-rolls are nowplaced to preserve them are necessarily provided at each end with anotched block to receive the two end pins, and thus prevent them frominjuring the box. If the roll Bis alone sold with each music-sheet,these notched blocks are unnecessaryin the boxes, and thereby the boxesare cheapened. The described rolls are therefore not only adapted toimprove the average results produced by the musical instrument, but theyalso effect a considerable saving.

Having described my invention, I claim-- 1. The combination of adriving-spindle adapted to be rotatably mounted in a musical instrumentof the pianola class, a tubular roll for holding a music-sheet mountedupon said spindle and having external flanges at its ends, one of saidmembers having a longitudinal groove and the other a tongue which entersthe same whereby they rotate together but are capable of relativelongitudinal movement, substantially as specified' 2. The combination ofa spindle adapted to be rotated, a tubular roll slidably mountedthereon, a resilient member interposed between them and adapted toimpede their relative endwise movement, and means for preventing therelative rotation of said spindle and tubular roll, substantially asspecified.

3. The combination of a spindle adapted to be rotatably mounted in aninstrument of the pianola class, and having an external shoulder at oneend but not at the other, a tubular roll embracing said spindle, one ofsaid members'having a longitudinal groove and the other a tongue whichenters the same whereby the roll may be moved lengthwise of the spindlebut must rotate with it, and a resilient member rigid with one of saidmembers and frictionally contracting the other, substantially asspecified.

4:. The combination of a spindle adapted to be rotatively mounted in amusical instrument of the pianola class and having a longitudinalgroove,with a tubular roll having external flanges at its ends andhavinginwardlyprojecting longitudinal tongues adapted to engage in saidgroove when the roll embraces the spindle, substantially as specified.

5. The combination of a spindle adapted to be rotatively mounted in amusical instrument of the pianolaclass and having an externallongitudinalgroove, with a tubular roll having external flanges at itsends and having inwardly-projecting tongue adapted to engage in saidgroove when the rollembraces the spindle, and springs lying between thespindle and roll to retard their relative movements, substantially asspecified.

6. The combination .of a driving-spindle adapted to be rotatably mountedin a musical instrument of the pianola class, a tubular roll for holdinga music-sheet mounted upon said spindle, one of said members having alongitudinal groove and the other a tongue which enters the same wherebythey rotate together, and a friction-spring interposed between saidmembers whereby to impede their relative lon gitudinal movement,substantially as specified.

7. In combination with a spindle a sleeve mounted to slide thereonhaving a flange at its outer end, means for restricting its slidingmovement, and a spring interposed between the spindle and said sleeveand bearing upon each, whereby said sleeve is held against accidentaldisplacement, substantially as speci- In testimony whereof I hereuntoaffix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS C. BRINKLEY.

Witnesses:

E. B. GILonRrs'r, E. L. THURSTON.

IIO

